The Jim Acosta Show

Episode: Steve Schmidt Slams Noem's Mile-High Plane Perks and Jim Blasts Trump's Dictator Banner

Date: February 20, 2026

Episode Overview

This special Friday edition of The Jim Acosta Show, humorously dubbed "Holy Schmidt," features political strategist Steve Schmidt as guest co-host. Jim Acosta and Schmidt conduct a scorching, candid analysis of the current political landscape under Donald Trump, zeroing in on Supreme Court decisions, rampant government corruption, abuses of power, and the moral and legal crises convulsing America. They especially scrutinize Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's extravagant jet perks, Trump’s attempted autocracy, and the horror stories coming out of U.S. immigration detention centers. Throughout, the conversation is frank, impassioned, and pointedly critical.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Supreme Court Decision on Tariffs and John Roberts’ Legacy

• [00:31–04:56]
  • Acosta and Schmidt start with the Supreme Court’s ruling against Trump’s tariffs, declaring them unconstitutional, and discuss its wider implications.
  • Steve Schmidt harshly criticizes Chief Justice John Roberts, comparing him unfavorably to Roger Taney of Dred Scott notoriety:

    "John Roberts is the worst chief justice in American history since Tani... I say that as the person who ran John Roberts confirmation in the Bush White House." (01:05)

  • They argue the Court is “profoundly corrupt,” citing Justices Alito’s and Thomas’s “financial misconduct.”
  • Acosta frames the tariff scandal as self-enrichment and quid pro quo, expressing frustration at Democratic leaders’ lukewarm response:

    "Democrats, particularly Schumer and Jeffries, have not been screaming at a volume that could be heard from outer space about that." (02:55)

2. Trumpian Corruption and Departmental Abuse

• [04:56–11:54]
  • The hosts paint a dire picture of a destabilized Supreme Court and a DOJ that’s “lost its reputation.”
  • Trump’s dictatorial tendencies have spawned a “legion of mini-mes,” notably within DHS.
  • Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski’s Jet Perks:
    • NBC’s exposure of a luxury DHS jet, complete with a bedroom, sparks scathing ridicule.
    • Schmidt:

      "Corey Lewandowski is a five-star whack job… his run ins with the law, his abuses of women, his tirades..." (07:08)

    • Anecdote: Corey fires/rehired a pilot on a tarmac over an electric blanket (07:19).
    • Allegations of direct and indirect corruption involving massive contracts, luxury accessories, and questionable wealth (10:29–11:54).

3. Impunity and Calls for Accountability

• [11:55–13:34]
  • The hosts stress urgent need for investigatory action if Democrats retake the House:

    "The Corey Lewandowski, Kristi Noem, Trisha McLaughlin gravy train needs to be investigated and... follow the money." – Acosta (11:54)

  • Acosta expresses the need to “lose our virginity” on prosecuting an ex-president:

    "Donald Trump is sort of the prototype for us to lose our virginity. When it comes to prosecuting and imprisoning a president." (13:20)

4. Human Rights Abuses in Immigration Detention

• [13:34–24:47]
  • Schmidt details abuses by ICE, particularly citing violence and legal violations; calls out the need for state-level action if Trump pardons offenders (16:00–16:53).
  • Discussion focuses on private detention centers such as CoreCivic and the egregious conditions at the Dilley Detention Center:
    • Children allegedly misled about their circumstances, deprived of basic needs, served rotten or unsafe food, and subjected to psychological trauma.

    • "This is gulag shit and people are sick of it." – Acosta (22:30)

    • Schmidt predicts the eventual conversion of these sites into museums akin to Holocaust memorials:

      "They're going to be museums… not in Poland, not in Germany, they're going to be in the United States. Concentration camps." (25:35)

5. Symbolism and Realities of Dictatorship

• [26:58–30:58]
  • The DOJ now hangs a giant banner with Trump’s visage, which Acosta labels a “vandalism” and symbolic of Trump’s belief that he literally owns federal institutions.
  • Schmidt calls for radical reforms, including disbarments and possibly emptying or relocating DOJ headquarters due to its defilement (28:34).
  • He urges maximal use of Congressional powers, including "inherent contempt" to jail defiant Trump appointees:

    "Inherent contempt gives Congress the constitutional authority to lock up a Pam Bondi in the Congress." (30:29)

6. The Threat of War with Iran

• [32:12–34:43]
  • Schmidt predicts Trump may provoke a major war with Iran before the next show, expressing disbelief at the lack of Congressional debate:

    "There's been no debate about it in a free society. It is a fucking abomination." (34:12–34:41)

  • Acosta laments the invisibility of this looming conflict in national news.

7. Broader Societal Sickness and Political Prognosis

• [19:22–22:01]
  • The co-hosts note alarming examples of Republican hypocrisy and scandal (e.g., Congressman Tony Gonzalez's affair and a constituent’s tragic suicide, Randy Fine’s overt Islamophobia).
  • Schmidt draws an analogy to the Titanic—suggesting it's too late for Republicans to save themselves, and zero tolerance for MAGA or Democratic appeasement is now necessary.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Supreme Court Corruption:

  "We have a corrupt Supreme Court, financially compromised Alito misconduct, Clarence Thomas's misconduct, flying around with all these billionaire extremist donors..."
  – Steve Schmidt [04:56]

• On Trump’s DOJ Banner:

  "Trump just shits on it by putting his name and his face all over these buildings. I've been describing it as vandalism. He's vandalizing our buildings, our federal buildings."
  – Jim Acosta [28:00]

• On DHS Jet:

  "NBC News has obtained photographs... it looks like Austin Powers' shag jet… Our taxpayer dollars while they're holed up in the commandant of the Coast Guard's house flying around."
  – Steve Schmidt [06:51]

• On Systemic Accountability:

  "What we need to have happen in this country is we need to lose our virginity when it comes to prosecuting and imprisoning a corrupt and unlawful president."
  – Jim Acosta [13:20]

• On Human Rights Abuses:

  "Think about… Thurgood Marshall Jr. is on the board of that company [CoreCivic]… soon the Save America movement is going to take direct action against those board members and confront them publicly."
  – Steve Schmidt [23:51–24:06]

• On War and the Media’s Silence:

  "I will be extraordinarily surprised if you and I are together on next Friday, that we are not at war with Iran… I literally cannot believe after the failed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have A battle group assembled off of Iran… It is a fucking abomination."
  – Steve Schmidt [32:12–34:41]

• Summary of Core Message:

  "The person who's getting screwed in all of this is you, the American taxpayer. You are paying for this... It’s a goddamn travesty."
  – Jim Acosta [35:00]

Important Segment Timestamps

• Supreme Court & Tariff Ruling: [00:31–04:56]
• Corruption at the Supreme Court & DOJ: [04:56–06:06]
• Kristi Noem/Corey Lewandowski Jet Scandal: [06:06–11:54]
• Abuses at Dilley Detention Center & Private Prisons: [13:34–26:58]
• Trump DOJ Banner & Vandalism Allegory: [26:58–30:58]
• Imminence of War with Iran: [32:12–34:43]
• Closing & Call for Support: [35:00–end]

Tone and Style

Unfiltered, incredulous, passionate, and sometimes caustically humorous; Schmidt and Acosta trade sharply worded critiques (“five-star whack job,” “Austin Powers shag jet,” “gulag shit,” “fucking abomination”), blending policy analysis with moral outrage and a call to arms for accountability and reform. The banter is seasoned with bleak political humor and urgency about the fate of American democracy.

For Further Listening

Stay tuned for further collaborations between Jim Acosta and Steve Schmidt, including special State of the Union coverage. If you appreciate this forthright coverage, support independent media as they continue to hold the powerful to account.